1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a automotive vehicle in which a side impact upon the passenger compartment is managed by using a portion of the impact load to move the occupant seat laterally with respect to vehicle's body.
2. Disclosure Information
As the requirements related to automotive side impact testing have become increasingly more stringent, the design issues needed to be addressed by vehicle designers have become corresponding more demanding. One technical problem deals with the need to reinvent vehicle side structures at a reasonable cost, using designs that are effective. The present invention includes a seat displacement or pusher system including multiple blocks or brackets constructed of metallic or non-metallic materials such as resin, foams or honeycomb, which may be inserted in the vehicle door in alignment with the seats. The inventive seat displacement system in effect pushes the vehicle seats inboard in an event of an impact to then allow a pelvis pusher or lower portion of the interior trim of the door to push the occupant laterally by engaging the pelvic area of the passenger. This results in acceleration of the occupant as early as possible in a lateral direction with displacement force applied to the pelvic region.
Traditional side impact barrier systems have focused upon on the reinforcement of vehicle structures such as the B-Pillar, rocker panels, door beams, floorpan etc. Although reinforcement of these structures has provided some benefit, test conditions are migrating to the use of higher and heavier test barriers. In essence, a point has generally been reached at which the increasing cost and weight devoted to side impact resistant structures are yielding fewer benefits because the impact forces to which such structures are subject are so profound as to overwhelm small design changes. For example, even with major changes to the floorpan of a vehicle, the ubiquitous center tunnel prevents the floorpan from exhibiting the column strength to the extent required to overcome or to compensate for increased forces expected with currently projected testing methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,509 discloses a system which attempts to handle lateral intrusion resulting from side impact by strengthening the platforms upon which the seats are mounted as well as the tunnel area of the floorpan, so as to react against a lateral load by a column comprising two seat bases and the tunnel-area floorpan. This design of the '509 patent illustrates prior thinking on crash management which will be ineffective given the newer test requirement, because the design of the '509 patent will not allow the seat to be pushed out of the way so as to permit the occupant of the seat to be contacted first in the pelvic region.